Flash copier

ABSTRACT

A flash copier for making duplicate copies of microfiche cards or the like by a contact printing technique. The unit has a housing containing a high intensity flash lamp to illuminate a window on which the original transparency and a sensitized card or film are placed. A platen mounted on a double hinged arm assembly is lowered onto the window and clamped by cam action in a continuous motion. Clamping pressure is closely adjustable to ensure high definition of copy, and the flash lamp is controlled by a switch which is actuated only at the locked position of the clamping cam mechanism.

United States Patent 1191 Smitzer et a1.

[ 1 FLASH COPIER [75] Inventors: Louis A. Smitzer, San Diego; JurgenAmtmann, Del Mar, both of Calif.

[73] Assignee: Ovonic Image Systems, Inc., San

Diego, Calif.

[22] Filed: May 8, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 251,022

[52] US. Cl. 355/113, 355/120 [51] Int. Cl. G03b 27/04 [58] Field ofSearch 355/113, 114, 115, 116, 355/l17,118,1l9,120

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,383,893 7/1921 Winkler355/115 1,426,117 8/1922 Smith 355/113 1,521,399 12/1924 Sharp 355/1151,533,583 4/1925 Bracy 355/115 1,602,051 10/1926 Sharp 1 355/1151,635,618 7/1927 Hammond 355/113 1,666,052 4/1928 Chamberlin 355/1201,831,248 11/1931 Hopkins 1. 355/119 Aug. 13, 1974 2,224,839 12/1940Steiner 355/118 2,299,990 10/1942 Jones 355/120 2,375,491 5/1945 Perry355/113 X 2,706,436 4/1955 Scott et a1 355/113 3,642,376 2/1972Halvorsen 355/115 X Primary Examiner-Samuel S. Matthews AssistantExaminerAlan Mathews Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Brown & Martin 5 7ABSTRACT A flash copier for making duplicate copies of microfiche cardsor the like by a contact printing technique. The unit has a housingcontaining a high intensity flash lamp to illuminate a window on whichthe original transparency and a sensitized card or film are placed. Aplaten mounted on a double hinged arm assembly is lowered onto thewindow and clamped by cam action in a continuous motion. Clampingpressure is closely adjustable to ensure high definition of copy, andthe flash lamp is controlled by a switch which is actuated only at thelocked position of the clamping cam mechanism.

1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures FLASH COPIER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONConventional contact printing apparatus is not suitable for suchprecision, and special frames with multiple clamps make the process veryslow. It would be very advantageous to be able to make high definitionmicrofiche copies quickly, without elaborate set up procedures andcomplex equipment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The flash copier described herein is a compact,fully portable unit, with which a precise microfiche copy can be set upand exposed in a few seconds. The unit is constructed on a housingcontaining a high intensity flash lamp, positioned to illuminate awindow set into the top of the housing. An original microfiche card andthe copy film are placed on the window and aligned between guides.Clamping pressure is applied by a platen which is mounted on acounterbalanced hinged arm assembly, provided with a handle tofacilitate one handed operation. The handle is also hinged at the platenand has cam elements which clamp and lock the platen by continueddownward motion of the handle after the platen is set in place.Adjustment means is provided for precise control of the clampingpressure. To avoid inadvertent operation of the flash lamp, acontrolling switch is actuated by the clamping cam mechanism at thelocked position. A further switch may be incorporated in the handle foractuation of the flash by the operator.

The primary object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a new andimproved flash copier.

Another object of this invention is provide a new and improved flashcopier in which the original and copy film are securely clamped inexposure position by a one handed operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved flashcopier having positive clamp and lock mechanism with an interlockedflash control switch.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved flashcopier which is compact, portable and simple in construction.

Other objects and many advantages of this invention will become apparentupon a reading of the following detailed description and an examinationof the drawings, whereinlike reference numerals designate like partsthroughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the complete flash copier.

FIG. 2 is a sideelevation view, with the platen clamped and locked.

FIG. 3 is a partial side elevation view with the platen raised.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The copier unit is constructedon a box housing 10, having a rigid transparent exposure window 12 insetinto the top. Sides 14 of the housing 10 have extensions 16 projectingrearwardly and upwardly to provide bearings for a hinge rod 18 supportedadjacent and parallel to the upper rear edge of the housing. On each endof the hinge rod 18 is a support arm 20, with a short counterbalance arm22 extending in the opposite direction, both pairs of arms being fixedto the hinge rod by lock screws 24, or similar means. Support arms 20extend parallel to each other outside housing 10, and secured betweenthe arms is a bearing rod 26.

Pivotally suspended from bearing rod 26 is a platen 28, which is a rigidblock of material having a firm resilient pad 30 inset in the lowerface. When support arms 20 are swung downwardly, platen 28 fits on topof window 12, with the pad 30 positioned to hold a microfiche original32 and copy film 34 sandwiched on top of the window. Platen 28 is biasedto a raised position by counterbalance springs 36, connected between theouter ends of arms 22 and anchor pins 38 adjacent the lower ends ofsides 14. Stop pins 40 are fixed in extensions l6-andengagecounterbalance arms 22 to limit the upward travel of the platen.

To secure the platen in place, clamp arms 42 are pivotally mounted onbearing rod 26 inwardly of support arms 20, the clamp arms being spacedto pass closely on opposite sides of housing 10. The outer ends of clamparms 42 are connected by a handle bar 44 for simultaneous operation.Closing and locking of the platen in two stages is facilitated byinterconnecting each support arm 20 and adjacent clamp arm 42 by atorsion spring 46, one end of which engages a pin 48 fixed in thesupport arm. The other end of the torsion spring engages a pin 50 fixedin clamp arm 42 and passing through an arcuate slot 52 in the supportarm. Each torsion spring is enclosed by a suitable cover 54.

Each clamp arm 42 has a downwardly extending, substantially arcuate camfinger 56 having an inner cam face 58 leading into a closed end socket60. On each side 14 is a bracket 62 carrying a roller 64 under which camfinger 56 passes, the cam face 58 decreasing slightly in radius towardthe closed end of socket 60, so that the cam locks securely when theroller seats in the end of the socket, as in full line in FIG. 2. Asillustrated, the bracket 62 has a clearance cavity 66 to receive the endof the cam finger in locked position. To provide for adjustment ofclamping pressure, bracket 62 is mounted on a pivot pin 68 adjacent theroller 64, and is secured at the other end by a lock screw 70 passingthrough a slot 72 in the bracket. Below the bracket is a small block 74fixed to side 14, and threaded through the block is a fine adjustmentscrew 76 which engages the bracket. The screw 76 is used to adjust theroller 64 precisely for the required clamping pressure by the cam, andbracket 62 is locked in place by lock screw 70 Inside housing 10 is ahigh intensity flash lamp 78, with a reflector 80 positioned toilluminate window 12 evenly. The power supply for operating the flashlamp is conventional and may be incorporated in the unit or used as aseparate element. A cooling fan 82 is mounted in the housing, which hasa removable perforated back panel 84 for venilation and access.

To prevent the flash lamp 78 from being fired before the apparatus isready, a switch 86 is mounted on one side 14 to be actuated by the endof cam finger 56 in the locked position. Switch 86 may be used tooperate the flash lamp as the clamp mechanism reaches the lockedposition, or may be used as a safety interlock. In the latter instance,an operator controlled flash switch 88 would be mounted in one end ofhandle bar 44, for one hand operation of the platen and exposure action.

In copying microfiche cards of a standard size, positioning of theoriginal 32 and copy film 34 on window 12 is facilitated by positioningtabs 90 at opposite ends and a tab 92 at the front. The tabs projectinwardly over the top surface of window 12 and are of sufficientthickness to engage the two layers of film, as in FIG. 5,

without interfering with the even pressure applied by pad 30.

Operation of the unit is very simple and begins with the platen and itssupports in the upwardly biased open position illustrated in FIG. 3. Themicrofiche original 32 and copy film 34 are placed in position on window12 and platen 28 is pulled down by grasping handle bar 44. Platen 28 isseated with clamp arms 42 still raised, as in the broken line positionin FIG. 2. Continued pulling down on handle bar 44 overcomes torsionsprings 46 and swings the cam fingers 56 down under the rollers 64 tothe locked position. Even face to face contact between the film elements32 and 34 is thus maintained while the flash lamp is fired to make theexposure. Handle bar 44 is then lifted to first unlock the cams and thenlift the platen, so that the exposed film 34 can be 4 removed fordeveloping.

The entire operation takes only a few seconds and very little trainingis necessary for 'an operator to make good copies. The unit is equallysuitable for making single copies or continuous operation for largenumbers of copies.

Having described ourvinvention, we now claim:

1. A flash copier, comprising:

a housing having an exposure window mounted therein;

a flash lamp in said housing directed to illuminate said window; v

a platen having a resilient pad for holding film material on saidwindow;

a pair of support arms pivotally mounted at one end on said housing andextending on opposite sides thereof, the support arms beinginterconnected at the pivoted ends;

said platen being pivotally suspended between the other ends of saidsupport arms;

a pair of clamp arms pivotally connected to said support arms on acommon axis with pivotal attachment of said platen, and spaced to passon opposite sides of said housing;

a handle interconnecting said clamp arms;

said support arms being biased to raise said platen clear of the window,and said clamp arms being biased upwardly from the support arms;

said clamp arms having cam fingers extending therefrom;

cam receiving rollers rotatably ,mounted on said housing;

said cam fingers having closed end sockets into which said rollers seatin the locked position of the clamp arms.

1. A flash copier, comprising: a housing having an exposure windowmounted therein; a flash lamp in said housing directed to illuminatesaid window; a platen having a resilient pad for holding film materialon said window; a pair of support arms pivotally mounted at one end onsaid housing and extending on opposite sides thereof, the support armsbeing interconnected at the pivoted ends; said platen being pivotallysuspended between the other ends of said support arms; a pair of clamparms pivotally connected to said support arms on a common axis withpivotal attachment of said platen, and spaced to pass on opposite sidesof said housing; a handle interconnecting said clamp arms; said supportarms being biased to raise said platen clear of the window, and saidclamp arms being biased upwardly from the support arms; said clamp armshaving cam fingers extending therefrom; cam receiving rollers rotatablymounted on said housing; said cam fingers having closed end sockets intowhich said rollers seat in the locked position of the clamp arms.